Balluff: Digitally configurable stack lights

The software-configurable Smart Light from Baluff eliminates complex hardware selection by providing visual indication solutions with just a single part number.

By Gretchen Edelbrock, Products Editor

The Smart Light is reportedly the first stack light on the market to incorporate such digital configuration flexibility. It can be configured on the fly, is controlled using simple bitmaps for the outputs, and can function in any of three operating modes. Stack Light Mode, in which users program one to five positions of 360° LEDs with a variety of colors; Level Mode, for indication of high or low levels tied to a numerical value; and Run Mode to indicate running status or to add emphasis with a simple scrolling light. The Level Mode can be used to indicate things like machine speed, throughput, output quality, operator performance to quota, position feedback, hopper level, kanban, and more.

The Smart Light can be connected to almost any industrial network via the IO-Link standard and be used with a variety of IP67 distributed modular I/O products from various IO-Link vendors. This eliminates the need to have a remote I/O box simply to control an indicator light. The device also uses an industry-standard M12 connector and is IP54 compliant, so it can be mounted right on the machine